Julian man, 53, killed in head-on crash

SANTA YSABEL  A 53-year-old Julian man died Friday in a head-on collision on state Route 78 between Ramona and Santa Ysabel.

The accident occurred about 11:15 a.m. when a Dodge truck driven by Justin Jones, 20, of Ranchita, drifted onto the right shoulder of the westbound lane, the California Highway Patrol said. Jones overcorrected, crossed the double-yellow line and smashed into a Ford truck traveling east, police said.

The driver of the Ford died at the scene. Authorities said it appears he wasn’t wearing a seat belt. The CHP withheld his name pending family notification.

Authorities said Jones suffered “moderate injuries” and took an ambulance to Palomar Medical Center. He does not have a valid driver’s license, the CHP said.

Neither drugs nor alcohol played a role in the crash, according to the initial investigation. No arrests were made.